Embrace of Shadows
by Eccentric-Enigma
Summary: This is a story I made with my Original Characters I created for a pen and paper rpg I love called Vampire the Masquerade.
1. Chapter 1

The bitter air of the sewer hung in the air like a ghost... almost visible yet not. It was moments like this that Clarice was grateful of her "condition". Not having to breath could be beneficial some times. She walked along the sewers tunnels as if she had been doing it all her life and as she did so she seemed to understand why Lazarus preferred to have a haven above ground instead of just one down here. The sewers were a blessing to the Nosferatu clan, Lazarus's clan, due to their misshapen visage they were more than happy to have lairs where most humans would not tread, lest they violate the masquerade. She smiled to herself at the fact that she finally seemed be coming to grips with the idea of being among the undead, it may have taken her a few months but she was learning more and more each night. She stood then and let the memories of her life leading to her embrace come to her... she'd never forget that night... she remembered her friend Melissa dragging her to some gathering saying that she just had to see some weird ass cult.

"How weird is it?" she remembered asking her friend.

"You'll see!" Melissa said giggling.

They arrived downtown at what used to be a magic show place that closed down years ago it was called "The Oasis" the building looked like the Sphinx pyramid Clarice had seen in oh so many books she had read when she was considering becoming an archeologist. They walked inside to see waiters dressed in tunics... loincloths whatever the hell you called that clothing that looked almost like a kilt but with golden trim and an off white cream colored fabric. The waiters were all men wearing nothing but that form of clothing and golden colored sandals. 'This is it?... 'Clarice thought as she looked over the place. Melissa gave her a "shush" gesture as if she heard what Clarice had just thought and dragged her over to two of the biggest bouncers Clarice had ever laid eyes on. The two men in their 6'4 muscled frames looked down at the girls with dark eyes. "The scarab has found it's home." whispered Melissa to the men, instantly the two men moved aside to reveal a door that blended in almost perfectly with the hieroglyphic covered wallpaper.

The hallway seemed to lead on forever, lighted only by torches placed along the old stone walls. Five minutes later they came to a chamber with statues of snakes in mid strike on both sides of stairs leading up to a stone door with a 2 foot wide jeweled scarab in its middle. As Clarice surveyed the area she heard a feminine almost purring yet commanding voice say "Welcome..." Clarice almost jumped at the sound, unnerved at the fact she couldn't seem to find its source. Suddenly a woman came out of the shadows into Clarice's line of sight. She was dressed in a flowing yet shapely olive colored dress and adorned with exotic golden jewelry that seemed almost painted on. Her makeup was perfectly done, almost to the point where you didn't notice her eyes, which seemed almost snake-like, yet when the woman blinked whatever made Clarice think of the woman's eyes as inhuman turned into an almost almond, both shaped and colored, foreign eyes. The woman herself almost looked like part of the decoration, her skin the color of dark yet dull sand paired with her outfit looked like it would be better placed in a photo in national geographic than in person at former magic show building. "My name is Cassandra." said the woman as she closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly while bowing it. "You come for enlightenment?" she said purring as she glanced at the two young women.

Clarice was frozen in place, yet she managed to keep a straight face hiding the fear so very close to it. "My friend brought me here..." said Clarice with no emotion in it, ignoring the hairs on her neck standing on end. 'I have that creepy feeling again...' she thought. 'That feeling that I'm at a severe disadvantage and that I should leave quickly. I only wish I knew why'.

Melissa just beamed at Cassandra "This place is amazing!"

At Melissa's words Cassandra merely closed her eyes and smiled.

"What is this place?" Said Clarice, suddenly getting very sick of Melissa's fondness for weirdness.

Cassandra still looking surreal said "A place of enlightenment."

"Enlightenment of what?" said Clarice almost growling.

"Clarice!" said Melissa shocked at her bluntness.

"Enlightenment in the Dark God." said Cassandra who seemed to take no offense at Clarice's question and tone.

"Set." said Clarice saying it almost in a whisper.

Cassandra smiled and looked approvingly at Clarice "Yes... you know of him child?"

"More than I'd care too... " said Clarice bluntly "Come on Mel.. we're leaving."

"I'm afraid not... " said Cassandra, "For I would be foolish to allow such promising youths leave without their... enlightenment?"

'Her face... oh god I'll never forget it... snake eyes on a human face and her teeth... they were no longer teeth... they were fangs!" thought Clarice coming out of her memories and just in time too...

Suddenly a voice pierced the silence of the sewers "Are the Lambs still screaming Clarice...?" said the voice in a mocking yet comforting way. It was then that Malakai stepped out of a nearby tunnel with that pasted on big smile and hauntingly stunning eyes the color of frost on a pale sapphire. You'd think by how pale there were that he was blind. But he was far from it, he had a keen eye for details though he never really voiced them that often, he kept his own counsel and for that Clarice found him more and more reliable.

"You scared the crap out of me." growled Clarice darkly letting her claws sink back into her fingers.

Malakai gave that touchable laugh that made anybody around him feel unnerved yet comfortable, that laugh that made the promise of everything yet nothing. It made you feel that your were being lifted up but at the same you knew that you could have gravity turned against you at any second, and yet he was trustworthy. He had been there for Clarice the second she awakened to new life and guided her. He was not her sire, he didn't bestow the "dark kiss" upon her, but he was the closest thing to a father she had in both this life she was in and the last one, the human one. She knew she was instantly much safer than she was a minute ago and with that thought she smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

Clarice gave a smirk "You're late... I was beginning to think you wouldn't show."

Malakai still smiling shrugged, "Far be it from me to turn down an invitation from our dear friend Lazarus. Especially since he seemed so adamant about the information his clan mates have gathered about our venomous, in more ways than one, acquaintance Cassandra."

Clarice couldn't help but snarl a little at the mention of _that_ name. "Hopefully his idea of an "anti-venom" will be painful." At that thought she smiled.

Malakai's smile grew bigger and his eyes held contained laughter. "Hmmmm... well, Lazarus may not be the most "subtle" of the Nosferatu but he can be quite... "persuasive" in his own way."

Clarice chuckled "By persuasive you mean "he's a violent S.O.B that loves to fight and can bench-press a Buick and he's not to be fucked with?"

Malakai gave a throaty chuckle "Indeed, if anything you'd think the Brujah would have sired him and not the Nosferatu but Charles has odd tastes for an elder, he probably sired our dear Lazarus for the purpose of sheer muscle. If that was indeed the case Lazarus does not disappoint... no matter how ahem vocal he might be..."

Clarice huffed air out through her nose " Vocal is not the word I'd use..."

"OI!!! I HEARD that ya feral wench!!!" snapped a familiar voice from the shadows, dripping with that heavy British rocker accent and the common cacklish voice not unlike the Nosferatu. Lazarus came out of hiding... obviously practicing some obfuscate discipline. Clarice frowned at the fact she couldn't smell or sense him earlier; it really sucked being a newbie. Lazarus had dull white skin, large pointed ears and long spider like fingers, his dark yellow eyes held a silent rage to them. He reminded Clarice of one of those "Batboy Lives!" pictures in a cheap tabloid. He did his signature pace while he walked toward them, a somewhat gangly combination of swelled yet lean muscles and that "Someone will be on the ass end of an ass kicking if they so much as breath funny in my presence" bravado with the common bent back stature like most Nosferatu had, but he made it look more menacing. Malakai was right; Charles did pick the pick of the litter when it came to muscle. Lazarus's outfit was comprised of black leather pants, loose enough to be comfortable but tight enough to show off his muscles and his custom two straps of leather that seemed to draw a large black 'X' across his chest, and a smaller black leather 'X' across his face, you'd think that'd be uncomfortable but Lazarus didn't say anything about it if it was. He also favored wearing bracers; the ones he wore now looked like something he stole from batman. His calf high black leather lace up boots sloshed through the filthy sewer river and onto the makeshift sidewalk of crumbling cement Malakai and Clarice were on.

"If you two '_ladies'_ are done talking we should be off to me hidey hole away from prying eyes eh?" Clarice and Malakai nodded and followed Lazarus down the tunnel.

Not needing to be asked Lazarus started talking about Cassandra. "She's one sick bitch she is. Like most Followers o' Set she's a regular thorn in societies backside... sells every thing from whores to drugs." He then spit into the river of filth to his left as if just thinking of the Setite left a bad taste in his mouth. "She's nothin' special though; news has it that even the Setites em'selves consider her a right pain in their undead asses. She 'on't be missed that's for sure." He said with a wry smile. "I heard from a very reliable source that the Prince herself is willing to give anybody lee-way if anybody were to do 'er in."

"How much lee-way are we talking, Laz?" asked Clarice.

"So much lee-way that there is a reward ducky." He said grinning. "Territory I believe."

"Any idea where this territory is?" asked Malakai who even sounded like he was grinning.

"Not too far from me hidey hole above ground... near the red-light district, in the warehouse district in eyes view of the docks."

Malakai let out an infectious laugh "Nice hunting grounds..." he said trailing off as if he could see it already.

"That's for sure." agreed Lazarus laughing slightly. "Nobody's missed if they suddenly vanish around there, even the cops seem to give up the second they hear a body fall, not that that shocks me much."

"So, what's the plan for killing her?" asked Clarice fighting to keep her voice neutral.

"I figured we'd try to humor you in that category ducky... she didn't try to off me." said Lazarus bluntly.

Clarice lowered her head letting her waist length dark mahogany colored hair form a curtain in front of her face as a makeshift shield towards anybody looking her in the eyes. Weakly she asked Lazarus. "Did you find out... what happened to Mel?"

Lazarus turned to look at her but kept his pace, his yellow eyes trying to be as comforting as possible. "I don't know ducky... from what me buds found out, nobody matching your friend's description has left "The Oasis" from any of its exits." He paused letting it sink in a bit. "But make no mistake Luv," Luv... he only called her that when he felt bad for her, or was trying to comfort her, he usually just called her ducky. "We **will** find out for ourselves how your friend is holdin' up."

"And may Cassandra's dark god help her if your friend is not in the condition she entered in." said Malakai darkly, yet still grinning. His pale blond curled hair practically glowed in the dark as the faint sounds of his dark purple leather trench coat swayed in the air.

Clarice folded her arms above her army green belly shirt, almost as if she was hugging herself. She snarled "Cassandra dies her final death when I see her...no matter what or how I do it. She dies soon, and by my hand."

Lazarus grunted in agreement as Malakai gave an approving smile at Clarice while sighing "Ah, they grow up so fast..." blissfully.


	3. Chapter 3

They arrived at the ladder leading to an ally merely a few feet from Lazarus's above-ground haven within a matter of minutes. They climbed up the sewer ladder and Lazarus pushed up the manhole cover with as much ease as most would click a mouse. "Lady's first" he said cackling, allowing Clarice to writhe thru the open manhole.

"I'm no 'lady'." Growled Clarice as she came to her feet and looked around the ally which was devoid of light. The building Lazarus had made himself home in used to be an old two story restaurant named "The Pasta Palace" which used to hold old memories for most of the elderly citizens, but no longer. Rumor had it that it was haunted, which Lazarus didn't debate or defend. The status of the comdemned dilapidated building suited him just fine; he claimed it kept people from entering.

"Perhaps..." cooed Malakai "-but your the only woman in the coterie." he said as he lifted himself out.

Clarice fought the urge to pout, she spent too many years being the only girl in a family of 5 brothers and her dad to ever be feminine and she knew it. To many years of playing soccer with her cousins, basketball with her oldest brother, play fighting with her two younger brothers and having childish but fun belching contests with her dad. Dad never made a lot of money, but he always made sure the home was loving and they had fun with what they had, he was a high school gym coach so he never ran into a ball shortage, hence all the sports. He died about 10 years after mom ran off with the neighborhood priest when Clarice was only 7 years old, after that Clarice was not one for religion in the least.

"OI!" snapped Lazarus "-snap out o' it ducky we don't have time for old memories a' the moment!" he said shaking her.

"Sorry." mumbled Clarice letting her hair fall in her face.

"Leave her be Lazarus..." said Malakai softly "She's had a lot to adjust to in the last few weeks and a short time to do it in given the scenario."

Lazarus curled his upper lip in disgust. "Tru' as a' might be guvna' we don't have time for this now. We have a job ta do and times not a' our side." Lazarus's face fell then and he gingerly removed his hands off of Clarices shoulders. "Trust me luv... I know what you're goin' through. It's difficult a' first to leave the life ya had behind, leavin' ya family n' friends. But es for the best, if ya love em' enough you don't wanna drag em' down ta hell wi' ya." With that said he lightly put his right hand on Clarices left shoulder, whose body was shaking a bit due to fighting back the tears that have been building up unshed for so long. "But'-" he continued "we're ya family now... so no worries'." with his free left hand he softly lifted her face to look at his, her bottom lip quivering slightly. "And lets save thos' tears for later... aye?" he said with an understanding smile nodding slightly. "Right now we gotta go give that snake charmer wha's comin' to her... nothing like a good smack down to let everything feel right again." his smile grew bigger and almost comical. Clarice gave out a small yet sincere laugh and nodded smiling back. "Good." said Lazarus whose eyes now had a look of relief to them.

"We are family... I've got all my sisters and me..." said Malakai singing and smiling at the same time with his eyes closed, dancing slightly to music only he could hear. The tags on his purple leather dog collar clinking as he swayed.

Lazarus gave him and appraising look then shook his head. "Bloodly Malkavians." he said still shaking his head snorting a bit, fighting not to laugh, he started walking away from Malakai a few feet as if the being caught in public with Malakai at the moment would drastically lower his reputation.

Malakai then grabbed Clarice's hands and led her into a slow yet steady ballroom dance she was unfamiliar with. As she blushed so hard it almost hurt he began to spin her around while humming a tune loudly.

Lazarus broke out in to a fit of loud cackling laughter and pointed at them as he clutched his sides with his free spider like hand with bloody tears going down his cheeks.

Clarice blushing wildly from embarrassment finally broke out of Malakai's grip. Malakai merely shrugged an "ah well" gesture and then proceeded to look into the night sky as if he was finding something to humor him up there. Clutching her head from the dizziness Clarice mumbled "Could we go inside already..?" While looking around to be certain nobody saw the display.

Chuckling Lazarus said "Yeah yeah..." and jumped through the nearby open second story window.

"Showoff..." grumbled Clarice, while Malakai just smiled.

"He enters from above, due to the fact all the entrances below are sealed up to keep undesired guests out... you know that." said Malakai grinning.

"I know... but does he have to make jumping through a window on the second floor look so easy?"

Malakai just shrugged and laughed, as his grin grew bigger. Suddenly the old steel door, which lead to the old kitchen made a "clunking" sound letting everybody know it was unlocked. Malakai entered first, his trench coat swaying in the air as he gave that graceful walk that made it seem like he was rehearsing for some role in a movie, full of cat-like grace and an air of uncaring.

'When do I get my signature walk...?' thought Clarice as she shuffled up the small set of concrete steps leading up to the door. She walked through to hear a weird hissing sound in the dark and a set of animalistic eyes gazing at her unwaveringly. Clarice stopped and let a stillness take over her body that only the undead and animals seemed capable of. Lazarus gave a reprimanding shout from another direction.

"Squeaka's! Ya know betta' than that; you know Clarice!" Suddenly the lights of the kitchen flickered on to reveal a monstrous looking dull white rat the size of a basset hound. Squeakers sniffed the air and gave a small growl to its self as if admitting its embarrassment. Eyeing Clarice it slowly walked toward her, sniffing the air in her direction. Clarice bent down gulping holding an outstretched hand in front of Squeakers. Who gingerly sniffed the index finger and began to lick the tip of it.

Clarice smiled a bit saying softly "See? I'm not so bad."

Malakai strode into the room and smiled at the scene, "It'll get used to you sooner than most given the fact of your gangrel heritage, given the beast so very close to your soul."

Clarice petting a happily grinding its incisors Squeakers, who blinked lazily, smiled. "Speaking of which... what more can you tell me about my clan?"

Malakai leaned up against the cabinet and gave a breathy sigh. "Well, as soon as we find where exactly Niles is he can tell you a hell of a lot more than I can."

Clarice let out a sigh. "Why did he just embrace me and leave?"

Lazarus answered that question while he walked to get a bowl out of the nearby sink. "That's just wha' the gangrel do luv... a quick bite em and leave em fast bit."

Malakai started humming the song 'little red corvette' upon hearing Lazarus's reply.

Lazarus gave him an odd look and said... "I said "BITE em and leave em fast" not "LOVE em and leave em fast."

Malakai smiled and said dreamily "Close enough I love that song..."

"Would you all stop talking about how the lyrics go to Prince songs and please just explain it to me?" Clarice snapped.

Lazarus chuckled "Eh, sorry 'bout that... The gangrel favor embracing loners and survivors luv... they like hard cookies they do." he said while pouring some strawberry yogurt covered cheerios into a bowl. Squeakers ears perked up and sniffed the air hungrily. "I guess they figure that the giving the embrace than leaving is a test of some sorts to truly test the metal of their childe. Your lucky Malakai came along when he did ducky, else who knows what would have happened? Those Sabbat assholes may have found ya... bad lot they are." he said while putting the bowl down in front of a squeaking squeakers.

Clarice watched squeakers hold a pink cheerio in his paws and much on it hungrily. She couldn't help but smile watching such a warped looking giant rat eating something so girly looking.

"Why did he save me then... if he was just gonna embrace me and leave?" Clarice said delicately.

Malakai gave a graceful shrug. "Perhaps because he thought that anybody cunning enough to get away from a she-serpent like Cassandra earned the right to bare gangrel blood? It's a rarity that a human manages to away from any vampire... especially someone as conniving and strategic as a Setite. They aren't the kind of clan that enjoys anybody getting out of their scaled clutches..." mused Malakai

Lazarus chimed in "They're almost as good as nosferatu n' "strategic thinking" ducky... but we nosferatu can be fa' worse than any setite, we just aren't as... flashy?" he chuckled.

Malakai smirked "Indeed... no clan is quite as lethal in their search for secrets and knowledge as your clan Lazarus, save perhaps the tremere, but their only thirst for knowledge involves magic and the occult."

Lazarus made a "hooo boy" face and said "tha's for sure... damn warlocks..." as he watched Squeakers lick his bowl clean. "But still... we nos'ies... we have eyes everywhere..." he beamed at squeakers "don't we, me lil chum?" Squeakers gave an almost sinister sounding squeak at gazed back at his master while standing on his hindquarters.


End file.
